Letters for January, 2010

SO sorry after all these years that the mental suffering continues to go on for all of you who were abused in any way shape of form. Shame on the communities around you. I lived near an orphanage and it is apparent that locals did know of the brutality inflicted on children. What can one say ?

It is one of the most thoughtful article I have seen for quite awhile. John adams once said to a fellow congressman about the prospect of the revolution war against Britain “where you see despair I see hope”. People are always afraid to change their customs.

Martina.Thank you,most of those who were in The Industrial school with myself are either passed on(which the religious and government will be pleased about and hope it will go away. or like myself are pensioners,like myself who never told anyone not even my children or husband,not a hint nor word,they did think it odd i was totally alone in the world ,they never knew even where i came from or who i was.my life has been and is still painful,i was cut of from my siblings and they from each other ,i have had no contact,i did go to the salvation army for help in traceing them ,no luck.I believe it unhealthy for the mind to be reminded of such a brutal dark childhood,we should be compansated individualy.we had everything taken from us even our names,roots,families,siblings,and most of all Our Childhoods.

In reference to Eric MacDonald’s “Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury”:

I am amazed by Eric and his courage and integrity. And I would hug him if I actually knew him, instead of just trading comments on blogs.

His story also makes me more than a bit ashamed by my own long association with Christianity, both my fundamentalist youth and my later membership in what I thought to be the “liberal” Anglican church. The troubles that pushed me from it are nothing compared to his.

“like myself who never told anyone — not even my children or husband, not a hint nor word, they did think it odd i was totally alone in the world’

Ex inmate, I can totally empathise with you — as I know countless Goldenbridge inmates, (as well as myself, who, up till recently) who have never divulged anything to a single sinner about their past lives in that despicable deplorable concentration hell-hole. They lived secret double lives. Secret service agents would have nothing on them when it comes to that aspect of their lives. They literally could run rings around them with such expertise in hiding secrets from their nearest and dearest and the world at large – as to who they really were.

“they never knew even where i came from or who i was. my life has been and is still painful.”

You know – I was talking to someone from GB the other night over tea at a very surprisingly empty cafe full of James Joyce regalia. We both agreed, that like the latter there will be also be a monumental piece placed strategically in the heart of Dublin to celebrate, sadly/gloriously/whatever, all the suffering we endured in Goldenbridge. Notwithstanding all the rest of our other industrial school counterparts. We could identify with JJ as he too understood only too well how Ireland treated its young offspring during his time.

“i was cut of from my siblings and they from each other ,i have had no contact – i did go to the salvation army for help in traceing them – no luck.”

‘Origins’, which is a part of Barnardo’s in Dublin, may be able to help with tracing your family. There is a Scottish chap on the staff called Andrew, who is very nice and approachable — he is helping to trace my family; he has helped others from various industrial schools, so by all accounts, we can vouch for him. He has a lovely manner and takes a good interest in us. You should try him out.

“I believe it is unhealthy for the mind to be reminded of such a brutal dark childhood, we should be compansated individually. We had everything taken from us even our names ,roots,families ,siblings, and most of all Our Childhoods.

Exactly. Horrendous memories of Goldenbridge will remain with us all till the time we are called to our reward. They are wrought and deeply indented on all our psyches. I have severely resented people all my life who have had proper loving family lives. I always wondered why they were blessed with all the luck of having loving parents; who were in all probability, present in their daily lives, to guide, protect and be proud of them. In turn, the protected ones have the best chances of becoming successful in life.

Definitely, we should be compensated properly with monies, religious have recently given to government on our behalf. In order for that to occur though, i reckon – we should become more highly vocal, kick up some of a stink, to let them know that they cannot walk over us once again. The wrong people mostly have already gotten away millions of our money. It should not be allowed to happen this time around. As you say, it should be given individually to each and every survivor as opposed to centres, etc.